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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. With what does the sailor say narcotics are connected?

2. Which of the following characters is said to mooch?

3. What kind of transport do Bill and Mary use to travel around the city?

4. What put Bill off homosexual artists?

5. How does Bill describe his athletic performance at school?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Bill do when he came back from Europe?

2. How did Bill escape from the army?

3. What does Roy say to Lee at Lee's apartment in the opening ten pages?

4. How does Bill try to reduce his heroin habit?

5. Describe the character of Nick.

6. Describe Bill's early life.

7. What kind of relationship do Bill and Pat develop in the sixth section?

8. Describe Bill's time in the prison facility.

9. What is Bill's opinion on marijuana?

10. What is Bill's opinion of heroin dealers?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Pick a character from the novel and discuss his/her goals and motives. Does he/she achieve his/her motive? Does he/she share similar goals and motives with other characters? Does his/her goals clash with other characters? How do the characters' goals and motives affect his/her interactions with each other?

Essay Topic 2

Look at the structure of the novel.

1) How does Burroughs use character and dialogue to drive the narrative.

2) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the novel's themes?

3) Away from the main character examine the way Burroughs uses the other characters in the story. When does he introduce and take them away from the story? What effect does it have on the story?

Essay Topic 3

The novel is set in New York, New Orleans, Texas and Mexico.

1) What meaning does each setting bring to the novel? What would you automatically presume about a novel that was set in these locations?

2) How different do you think the cities are today to the cities and states in the novel? How do you think the novel's meaning would change if it were set in contemporary society?

3) How do you think settings of the novel contribute the drug theme?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 836 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample